Cincinnati Walnut Hills senior defensive end Jason Stargel Jr. orally committed to play football on scholarship at the University of Akron this past weekend, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Stargel, an Enquirer Division I all-area selection, was second-team all-district. Stargel, who is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, had 39 tackles, 64 assists, 12 1/2 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in the regular season.

The University of Akron will face Oral Roberts University in an ESPN Sears Bracketbuster game at 2 p.m., Feb. 18 at Oral Roberts, ESPN announced Monday evening in a press release.

This will be the ninth year for the Zips as a BracketBusters participant (3-5). Akron defeated Creighton 76-67 at Rhodes Arena last season (Feb. 19). UA will appear on TV for the second time in the event (at VCU, Feb. 20, 2010), according to a news release.

For student athletes who held an offer from former Akron Zips football coach Rob Ianello, the past couple of months had to be stressful.One Tallmadge Blue Devils offensive lineman fell into that category. Ianello offered left tackle Jon Cipa several weeks before being relieved of his duties as head coach.At 6-foot-5 and 290 lbs, Cipa could help bolster the Zips line. He’s a raw talent who can play in the MAC, his high school coach Joe Vassalotti said. He’s drawn interest from a pack of Division I-AA, Division II and Division III schools, but the Zips were his only Division I-A offer and whether he would get the chance to commit to them remained to be seen.“That was our concern,” Vassalotti said. (The Cipa family) didn’t hear from anyone after Terry Bowden was hired.”Ultimately Cipa could find out something this week. According to a source, his parents are scheduled to meet with Bowden tomorrow.“I think he’ll give his commitment to Akron,” Vassalotti said.In the meantime, the new Zips coach is fulfilling a promise he made in his news conference. He called Vassalotti Saturday not only to talk about Cipa but to reach out as well. He’s also been in contact with a couple of coaches in the City Series.In other recruiting news, Bowden has cast his gaze further north to Mayfield High School in the Mayfield City Schools to show interest in Alex Brooks, who is touting himself as a QB-athlete.Brooks, currently a junior, stands 6-foot-1 and weights 195 lbs. Judging from tape, he has a strong enough arm and the ability to run with the ball as well…The Zips extended an offer to North Olmsted 5-foot-11 running back-defensive back Marc Remy. They will have to battle MAC rival Toledo for his services.

Six future members of the Akron Zips football are on campus according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Judging from the players who will ultimately play, coach Terry Bowden successfully kept the oral commitments of some of the recruits that former coach Rob Ianello received oral commitments from while he was still here.The players who will tentatively join the program include:

Rodney Carroll from Locust Grove Va., a transfer from Hargrave Military Academy, an offensive lineman who had drawn interest from several colleges in the mid-Atlantic states.Ben Cunningham, who will enroll early from Medina High School, a safety who gave former coach Rob Ianello a commitment back in August.Malachi Freeman a defensive back transfer from Nassau Community College with some punt return skills.Tyrell Goodman from Yonkers N.Y., a quarterback who was voted Class A Player of the Year by the New York Sportswriters Association. Goodman played QB for Ianello’s alma mater.Albert Presley from Marietta, Ga., a defensive end transfer from Dean College.De’Andre Scott from Frederick, Md., defensive back transfer from Hargrave Military Academy.

The San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League signed former Akron Zips safety and wide receiver Andre Jones.Jones played for the Zips from 2006-09 where he played safety his first two years and wide receiver in his final two.As a safety he racked up 184 tackles, four interceptions, 10 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one sack in 24 games (22 starts). He eventually made the switch to wide receiver his final two years for the Zips, starting in 19 of 23 games and totaling 80 catches for 1,231 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Mid-American Conference honors as a senior.The SaberCats signed Jones from the Milwaukee Mustangs as a defensive back where he earned All-Arena honors in 2011.